Amy Jarecki’s career resume includes singing and dancing for the Follies and working as a ballet dancer, a plant manager, and an accountant for the Australian cookie company Arnott’s Biscuits. After earning an MBA from Heroit-Watt University in Scotland, Amy began writing her award-winning and best-selling books, many of which feature the bold and brave men and women of Scotland. Amy now resides in the southwest U.S., where, when not writing, she can be found engaged in a variety of physical activities including yoga, hiking, and karate.

First of all, I am my greatest critic, and hands down, The Highland Rogue is my favorite book in the series. It’s full of danger, action, and steamy passion: after fighting for his life, losing his ship, being thrown overboard, and washing up on the shore of a tiny island half dead, Kennan Cameron has nothing to lose and everything to prove. Thus far, the only thing that has kept him alive is his deep-seated desire for revenge, until he’s taken in by a strong-willed, redheaded lass who has a way of changing his priorities. But together they’ll face tempests, pirates, and ruin!

The Highland Rogue is part of your Lords of the Highlands series. What inspired this series?

Prior to the Lords of the Highlands series, I’d written five Scottish-themed historical romance series, and this time I wanted to write one that centered on the first Jacobite uprising. With so much focus on the medieval period and the second rising of 1745, I felt this time in history was sorely underrepresented.

What three words best capture the literary flavor of your writing?

Magnetic, sexy, exciting.

What is the deal with romance readers and Scotland? Is it just the kilts or is there more to the appeal of Scottish romances?

Scottish romances have more of a rugged edge to them opposed to statelier Regency-set romances. They reflect the brutality of their times in a moving and almost cinematic way. Women not only love a man in a kilt, they love his strength of character. A Highlander is bred to put duty and clan ahead of everything else. He is loyal and treasures honor and respect. He carries a sword on one hip and a dirk protecting his loins, not to mention daggers in his flashes and up his sleeves. This man is a well-trained warrior who knows what he wants. What woman wouldn’t swoon in his brawny arms?

What is the romance (or are the romances) that got you hooked on the genre as a reader?

Oh my goodness, I never remember names of books! Back in the day when I was a reader and hadn’t written my first work, I read a lot of historical novels and action-adventure. If there wasn’t a good Wilbur Smith on the shelves, then I’d read whatever the store stocked in Scottish historical romance. Some of my favorite Scottish historical romance authors are Monica McCarty, Tanya Anne Crosby, and Paula Quinn.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone who is just starting their writing career?

Rule #1: Know thy genre! Read as many books in your genre as you can. Attend conferences and pay particular attention to classes (online works, too) on characterization, plot, and using deep point of view.

I adore Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series. Of course, he’s a Highlander! It’s really hard to think of a favorite villain because I want to forget them. However, I loved to hate Charles Vane from the Black Sails TV series. Loved the whole series, actually, and all the characters were terribly flawed!

What is next for you as a writer?

At the moment I have several irons in the file. But I’m excited about a new series I’ve started, entitled the King’s Outlaws, which takes place during the rise of Robert the Bruce. Back to the medieval era we merrily go!

How can readers best connect with you as an author and learn more about your work?

I’m super accessible online and probably am the most active on my Facebook author page. My website is a good place to find out about my books, and I also run a monthly giveaway on the contest page of my website, where you can win books and cool stuff. I send out a newsletter about once a month to keep my fans apprised of releases, sales, cover reveals, and other giveaways.

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The Romance Writers of America 2002 Librarian of the Year, Charles has been reviewing romances for Booklist since 1999 and is the author of Romance Today: An A to Z Guide to Contemporary American Romance. After working for the Scottsdale Public Library System for 30 years, Charles retired and went to work for Scottsdale's independent bookstore the Poisoned Pen, where he still gets to push books but has to deal with far fewer computer questions.